Villages at Cascade Head: Sustainable units nest = between=20 forest and sea

Sunday, September 07, 2008=20

CONNIE POTTER SPECIAL WRITER

The Oregonian

Jeff Teeny surveys the 460 breathtakingly beautiful acres at = the=20 Villages at Cascade Head, north of Lincoln City, with a sense of=20 responsibility.

The site is adjacent to 12,000 acres of federally protected = timberland.=20 From various vantage points, there are expansive ocean views and = panoramic=20 vistas of rugged woodlands and scenic Devil's Lake. A herd of 46 = elk roams=20 the property. Marbled murrelets nest in the old-growth trees.

As developer of the master-planned resort community, Teeny = considers=20 himself a steward of the spectacular natural resources. Together = with=20 architect Andrew Montgomery, he has created a vision that's = broader than=20 just figuring out how many units can be wedged into the project. = Their=20 focus is to create homes that are in harmony with nature and = lessen the=20 environmental impact -- all while offering innovative design and = requiring=20 little maintenance.

"There really is an opportunity here to do something special," = said=20 Teeny. "This is an opportunity to leave a legacy."

The project has approval for 1,650 single-family residences, = townhouses=20 and condominiums that will be clustered in several villages = throughout the=20 property.

The first phase, Maplewood Village, includes paired townhouses = ranging=20 from two master-suite, 2.5-bath, 1,700-square-foot units to = three-bedroom,=20 2.5-bath units of 2,150 square feet. Prices in the first phase = range from=20 $499,000 to $599,000.

Future phases are expected to start at $199,000 for a = 1,300-square-foot=20 unit and range up to $599,000 for a 2,200-square-foot townhouse. =

Four townhomes have been completed so far, and 14 more are = under=20 construction.

A project kickoff with presentations and tours will be held = from 10=20 a.m. to 6 p.m. the weekend of Sept. 13 and 14 at the sales office, = 4355 N.=20 Highway 101, Lincoln City.

Teeny hopes to win city approval for a mixed-use village center = that=20 will anchor the community. The plans, calling for a hotel, = convention=20 center and retail shops, are currently before the Lincoln City = Planning=20 Commission.

Ten miles of nature trails and bicycle paths will wind through = the=20 wooded hillside of massive spruce and fir trees. Public areas will = include=20 a 60-acre nature park and numerous neighborhood parks. Other = planned=20 amenities include a community swimming pool, tennis courts and RV = storage=20 area.

Adjacent to the property is the 18-hole Chinook Winds Golf = Course,=20 which is undergoing expansion thanks to Teeny's donation of 46 = acres. An=20 incentive for early buyers is a lifetime membership to the golf = course.=20 The membership is valued at $3,000.

The property abuts Roads End State Park, which is recognized as = one of=20 the best surf- and kite-boarding beaches on the Oregon coast.

Another developer initially won approval for the project in = 1998, but=20 it never got off the ground. Teeny -- who describes himself as a=20 conservationist and outdoorsman -- purchased it in 2002 and = brought in=20 Montgomery, principal architect with Terraforma Architecture & = Planning, a Portland-based firm specializing in sustainable design = and=20 architecture.

Since then, Teeny has purchased another 93 adjacent acres and = hopes to=20 add them to the project.

Deep green

Villages at Cascade Head is notable not only for its = spectacular site=20 and amenities but also for its gentle treatment of the = environment. Says=20 Montgomery, "it's one of the most environmentally sensitive = developments=20 in the country. There are a lot of self-imposed restrictions." =

The homes are tucked among the trees so they blend with their=20 surroundings. Each home incorporates green architectural and = sustainable=20 development concepts such as concrete polysteel construction, = solar=20 energy, geothermal, hydronic heating and storm-water reclamation. =

Teeny is also working with several alternative emergency = companies to=20 provide other renewable energy, including wind and wave energy. = "Our=20 desire is to become the largest sustainable eco-resort in the = country,"=20 Teeny says.

Teeny's efforts have been rewarded with a platinum LEED rating = for the=20 first townhouse completed, the highest rating possible from the = U.S. Green=20 Building Council. He expects 10 more townhouses in the initial=20 construction to be certified platinum and others to earn a gold = rating.=20 Certification is based on efficient use of energy resources, water = resources, building construction resources and land resources, and = enhanced indoor quality.

"They really put some thought into creating a home that's = significant=20 in reducing the environmental impact," said Randy Hansell, LEED = for Homes=20 program manager with Earth Advantage. "It was a joy to work with = them for=20 the simple reason this was their goal, and they went after it." =

Lincoln City Mayor Lori Hollingsworth said she has been = impressed with=20 the developer's commitment to the environment, without prodding = from the=20 city.

"What they're doing is unique," she said. "They've done it on = their own=20 without the city requiring or requesting it, and I'm very pleased = with=20 that."

The project represents a new model of how people view their = homes, said=20 Montgomery. The old model, he said, was that people bought a = vacation home=20 and spent all of their free time working on it.

"What we're saying is, America needs to rethink its way of=20 development," said Montgomery. "Everybody wants to have a big=20 single-family home, but nobody wants to take care of it, because = it's a=20 maintenance nightmare."

The walls, floors and even the exterior siding are all concrete = products, which offer tremendous energy efficiency and = sustainability,=20 said Montgomery. The insulated concrete forms have 6- to 8-inch = concrete=20 cores, with plastic foam on each side, making the homes tight and = quiet.=20 The floors also include polysteel, with a radiant heating system. = While=20 wood has about a hundred-year life expectancy, concrete can last=20 centuries, he said.

The concrete shingles, which resemble cedar shakes, give the = exterior a=20 rustic look but won't warp or need re-staining. The composite deck = railing, with a PVC coating, has a lifetime warranty. The roof has = a=20 50-year guarantee. The light-emitting diode (LED) light bulbs = should never=20 have to be replaced.

Teeny and Montgomery think buyers will be attracted not only by = the=20 environmentally friendly features but also, on a more practical = level, by=20 the energy savings. Heating and cooling costs are expected to be = 40 to 60=20 percent less than a conventional home. Buyers who upgrade to a = renewable=20 energy package for $30,000 -- which includes geothermal, solar = thermal,=20 LED lights throughout and a vertical wind turbine -- will pay even = less=20 per month for utilities.

Teeny estimates the heating bill for a 2,200-square-foot = townhouse,=20 maintained at 72 degrees, at about $300 a year.

Buyers should also appreciate the lack of maintenance. The $199 = monthly=20 homeowners' association fee will cover all maintenance for the = grounds and=20 exteriors.

Mayor Hollingsworth thinks the environmental focus of the = Villages at=20 Cascade Head will resonate with buyers as much as it does with = city=20 sustainability goals.

"I think it will pay off for them," she said. "In a soft = market, it=20 will be the marketing tool that makes sense and will be the niche = that=20 continues to expand."

Connie Potter is a Portland-area freelance writer. She can be = reached=20 at conpotter@comcast.net.